As a Senior Government Affairs Consultant based in Cape Town, South Africa, Vanessa works throughout Africa where she focuses on forensic DNA development, awareness and advocacy . Vanessa has extensive experience leading nationwide policy initiatives and working with the highest levels of government to advance dynamic legislative and policy changes.

Vanessa Lynch established The DNA Project and The DNA Project Africa, both non profit organisations dedicated to the use of advocacy outreach and forensic expertise to aid the development of DNA databases, forensic DNA skills and DNA specific legislation in criminal justice systems throughout Africa. Vanessa was appointed by the Minister of Police as the Deputy Chair of the National Forensic Oversight and Ethics Board in January 2015, tasked with monitoring the implementation of the provisions of the DNA Act as well as providing oversight over the overall operations of the DNA database in SA for the first five years.Since establishing The DNA Project, Vanessa has assisted with the drafting of essential DNA specific legislation, learnt the scientific principles of forensic DNA analysis and how this translates into crime resolution, and supported the development of a specific career path in Forensic Analysis both in science and law, to generate much needed skills in both of these sectors. In particular, she helped develop and provide a series of legal workshops aimed at training public defenders, prosecutors and magistrates on various aspects of DNA evidence and the laws pertaining thereto.The work that Vanessa has undertaken as the founder and director of The DNA Project has been widely recognised in South Africa, as well as internationally and I have been invited to present at various International Conferences.